Dogs, cats, horses and chickens watch on as Margarita serves a punchy pasta in the garden of her secluded house on the southern coast of santorini. Skordomakarona brings together bucatini pasta, tomatoes that taste like sunshine and salty capers in one plate – a santorini signature best enjoyed when the sun is out. An entire bulb of garlic goes into this bucatini recipe, and I wouldn’t skimp on it. Serve with Margarita’s salad for a taste of rural island life.
Serves 4–6
Vegan
Ingredients:
- 100 ml (31/2 fl oz/scant 1/2 cup) olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 bulb of garlic, cloves chopped
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) tomatoes, chopped (if you can, use 2 large beef tomatoes – the juiciest and most organic you can find)
- 2 heaped tablespoons tomato purée (paste)
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) bucatini
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- capers, to taste
- feta, to taste (optional)
Method:
- Put a large saucepan of water on to boil without salting it – this dish comes together in no time.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat and fry the garlic for a minute or so, taking care not to burn it.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and crush the tomatoes with the back of a fork so that they become one with the paste, garlic and olive oil.
- Add a sprinkle of black pepper, followed by the sugar and salt, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, generously salt the pasta water and add the bucatini. Cook as per the packet’s instructions, taking care to stir the pasta so that it doesn’t stick.
- Drain the pasta, then add it back into the saucepan, followed by the tomato sauce.
- Serve topped with a sprinkling of capers, crumbled feta and an extra drizzle of olive oil.
